48 hours in Bury St Edmunds for Foodies

Known as ‘Suffolk’s foodie capital’, Bury St Edmunds is renowned for its vast array of locally sourced produce, and the wide range of restaurants, cafes and eateries that showcase food prepared with flair and innovation.

The wide choice of independent eateries, comprising fresh and rustic fare as well as indulgent fine dining options make Bury St Edmunds a destination for foodies and connoisseurs who seek to delight their senses.

Over just one weekend it is possible to experience the best of what Bury St Edmunds has to offer, flitting from place to place and tasting the best Suffolk flavours- providing your appetite is big enough!

Here are just a few of the highlights, but check out our Food & Drink Directory for many more.

Arrive at The Angel and settle into your luxurious room with its stunning décor. Start the evening with a cocktail or two in The Angel Bar and then head out for an evening stroll and maybe another cheeky drink in one of the many unique places to drink that Bury St Edmunds has to offer.

If you arrive early, how about lunch in The Angel Eaterie, the two AA rosette restaurant, which boasts a stunning dining room and blends historical charm with modern interior design. The Eaterie offers a menu of contemporary British food with an emphasis on seasonality. Arron is a well-respected local chef with a passion for local produce. The Eaterie can be a lively space with a hum of convivial chat and the bustle of a friendly, experienced team working the tables with recommendations from the wine list. Enjoy cocktails from the bar to add a zing to your meal.

You will be spoilt for choice for dinner in Bury St Edmunds but make sure you book your table on Friday night as restaurants, particularly the award-winning restaurants, in the town are often booked up in advance.

Why not dine at Suffolk's only Michelin starred restaurant on your first night in Suffolk's foodie capital? 

Pea Porridge is an independently owned restaurant run by owners Justin Sharp (head chef-proprietor) and his wife Jurga (front-of-house) and tucked away in a quiet residential area on Cannon Street. The building was originally two cottages built in 1820 which later became a bakery. The restaurant now comprises three delightful unpretentious dinning rooms with old pine tables, an open fire and a splendid bakers oven.

They like to keep things lively, fresh and exciting. They are not at all into gadgetry and tricks in the kitchen and favour a very much “produce” driven approach. They love to cook what they themselves would like to eat, prioritising local, seasonal produce. Whatever is on the plate, their aim is for a combination of simplicity and flavour. “Nose-to-Tail” dishes are also regular staple on their menu, which changes almost every day.

Alternatively, head to Bellota - Bury St Edmunds newest dining experience!

​Together with his wife Pastry Chef Gabi Foragasi, Ruben Aquilar Bel and his team, serve and connect with guests around an open kitchen. It's transparent, interactive and personal.

Bellota serve an elevated tasting menu in a relaxed and welcoming setting. Relaxed fine dining combines exceptional contemporary Spanish cuisine with a warm welcoming atmosphere — free from any formality and stiffness. It’s chef-led, personal and approachable, inviting guests to engage with both the chefs and fellow diners. There are no unnecessary frills-just a focus on outstanding food and excellent conversation — the essence of great hospitality.

They grow their own herbs and seasonal vegetables in their garden. These home-grown ingredients inspire dishes daily, bringing vibrant, local flavor straight from the soil to your table. It’s their way of staying rooted in the region and sharing something truly personal with every guest.

The next day rise and shine and venture out for a delicious breakfast to set you up for the day.

At Bay Tree Cafe you’ll find great quality coffee and delicious options for breakfast including Hash - friend breakfast potatoes, 2 poached eggs and sour cream served with cumberland sausage, slow braised beef, roasted mushroom or Moroccan spiced roasted chicken and traditional full English, as well as bacon butty, sausage butty and scrambled eggs. If you a fancy a lie-in breakfast is served all day here.

Independently owned and operated by Alex Rotherham, who is originally from Vancouver in Canada and had his own restaurant in his home city, Bay Tree Cafe is dog friendly and open 7 days a week on St John’s Street.

Visit our Food and Drink Guide for more breakfast options.

After a morning of shopping and exploring, enjoy a very special fine dining experience at Maison Bleue, an establishment with a firm reputation for gastronomic excellence. The lunch and dinner menus are constantly changing, inspired by the seasonal produce that is lovingly crafted into superb displays of food artistry.

Every item on the al a carte menu offers an intriguing combination of flavours to tempt the palate.

Alternatively head to 1921 Angel Hill. With Zack Deakins as chef patron, the restaurant follows an unconventional approach with relaxed service and the food reigning supreme.

Guests can enjoy a selection of canapés served alongside an aperitif in the lounge, whilst viewing a menu championing local produce, before moving into the dining room, accented with local artwork and re-homed books. Their 5 and 7 course tasting menu is available in the evenings and at lunch and an a la carte menu is also available for dinner. 1921 also serves a great value two and three course menu on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 12 noon to 2pm.

In the evening, head to Lark on Angel Hill, one of the newest restaurants in Bury St Edmunds that is already winner awards and praise from food critics.

Chef and owner James Carn, opened Lark in February 2023, which in its previous life was a florist. James comes from Suffolk’s only Michelin starred restaurant Pea Porridge, where he’d worked on and off for five years. Prior to that he was sous chef at Tuddenham Mill, with the talented chef having a keen following locally.

A glowing review by Food Critic Jay Rayner in The Observer’s Food section (he described Lark as ‘Clever, relaxed, and hugely enjoyable’) just six months after opening came just 10 days after Lark was listed in the Good Food Guide’s Top 100 local restaurants in the UK.

It has recently received the Michelin Bib Gourmand, award, the only restaurant in Suffolk.

For many people the weekend wouldn’t be complete without the traditional Sunday lunch and diners certainly won’t be disappointed by the great roasts on offer at The One Bull - a stylish and contemporary pub and restaurant.

The Sunday Lunch menu is both classic and creative with a range of starters including curried sweet potato soup, coley goujons with crushed peas and tartare sauce and beetroot cured salmon. The Roast sirloin of Suffolk beef is served pink and with seasonal vegetables. You can also opt for roast loin and belly of Blythburgh free-range pork or slow roast Gressingham duck. Vegetarians can enjoy goats cheese and red onion tart served with salsa verde and new potatoes or the impressive roast cauliflower steak. There are a range of desserts too, with chocolate brownie with honeycomb ice cream, lemon meringue pie and berry sorbet topping the list.

Alternatively, Queen's Bar & Grill is a great place to stop for Sunday lunch and situated near to the Norman Tower in pretty Churchgate Street it is great for photographs. The menu changes but they offer at least two meats and one vegetarian roast option. Split into a dining area, bar, conservatory and garden, there are plenty of areas to make yourself comfortable and tuck into lunch and maybe a cocktail...or two! There is a games room at the back with a pool table and table tennis, as well as board games dotted around for you and your friends.

The Angel Hotel Sunday lunch menu is also another option. The Eaterie’s stunning dining room blends historical charm with modern interior design. They offer a menu of contemporary British food with an emphasis on seasonality. Arron is a well-respected local chef with a passion for local produce. The Sunday lunch menu includes Roast Sirloin of Surrey Farm Beef, Roast Loin of Free Range Pork, Roast Chicken Supreme, and Wild Mushroom, Spinach, Squash, and Stilton Roulade but does change seasonally.

Visit our Sunday Roast Guide for more options in and around Bury St Edmunds.

And so ends a weekend of adventuring for foodies,, return home with tummies full of food and heads full of inspiration for your next meal.

Why not extend your stay and arrive on a Thursday and take a Bury St Edmunds Food and Drink tour - a unique experience to discover the town’s foodie history and meet some of the food and drink businesses in the town while enjoying bite-sized samples!

New for 2025, the Bury St Edmunds Food and Drink Tour takes you through the heart of Bury St Edmunds - Suffolk’s Foodie Capital - as we offer you a taste of the town and explore our food and drink history on this 2½ hour walking tour.

Discover the town’s foodie history while passing iconic landmarks including The Angel Hotel, the Abbey Gate, The Nutshell pub, The Corn Exchange and more.

Along the way, enjoy bite-sized samples of delicious food and drink and meet the proud people behind the town's independent food and drink businesses and hear their story.

If you love history, enjoy food, and like to explore, these tours, run by Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides, offer a fun experience.

Visit our Food and Drink Directory for more yummy food and drink businesses in Bury St Edmunds and Beyond!